The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-01-06
BEETRUs JENKINS
Was Happily Disappointed In a
"Traveler."

Was Happily Disappointed In a
Traveller"
6eetrus Jenkins!" called the owner
of the name, sending her high clear
voice through the boxed space which
served as post-ofice window.
Eyes, m" responded the postmaster,
with that joking freedom which adds S
much spice to the life of a general
s~tore-keeper at a South Illinois railroad
station. ..Three letters this time. He's
writing nearly every day."
tIt wear on you to keep track of my
correspondence, don't itp" affirmed the
girl, taking her letters and rending
them open with impatient forefinger.
They were all addressed, in the same
mercantile hand, to Miss Beatrice Jen-
kins, Wabash Station, Illinois. She
compared the dates of the postmarks,
and opened the earliest, standing by
the door to read.
The smoke-dimmed interior of the
store was hung with baskets, dry goods,
bacon, ready-made clothing, and boots
and shoes. A skeleton flight of steps
assembled across a background of wall
to the proprietor's residence, and up
this fight of steps went a neighbours
barefooted child with a coffee-pot to
borrow some household necessity, while
Beetrus read her mail. She was a spot
of mellow color betwixt brilliant au-
tumn tints outside and the dim inclos-
ure. The slim, long-fingered hands
holding her letters were nicely gloved.
Her white hat was covered with plumes
just owning the salmon-pink tint of her
small wooden shawl. Her dress was
neutral and unobtrusive. Not so, how
ever, were her black eyes and glowing
cheeks, or the dark hair clustering. to
her ears. She was a very pretty girl,
and this the station-master always men,
tally admitted. He came out of his
post-office cubby with the mailbag in
his hand.
$50 you're going to clear out to-day,
-BeePr
She glanced up, perceptibly starting
and coloring.
''Goin' by rail or by river?"
''Ohr' said Beetrus. Eyes, we're
going up the river. Our things are
packed on the White Dove. We'd have
to go so far around and pay so much
freight the other way. But 1 don't like
to go on a freight boat, and neither
does ma, though the men are just as
kind and clever as they a be. We
have to sit up on deck all night, too,
among the machinery and grease"
Eyes, you will. It's a twelve hours
run betwixt this and New Harmony
against the current. The White Dove
starts about three o'clock. Will yor
be down any during the winter?"
II guess not. Our mar and his wifi,
a tend to every thing on the farm
We do run back and forth an,
after cold weather sets in"
"And 1 suppose you'll put the tim'
in dancin' and takin' music lessons?'
at isn't so very lively in Harmony
but I'm going on with my music
That isn't the train?"
Eyes, it is" responded the station
master, swinging the mailbag as h,
walked forth to keep appointment witt
the black and kissing locomotive slidin,
to its brief pause.
Bectrus flew through the store, RAJ
down the back steps, and sheltered her
self in woods which stretched ava,
toward the Wabash. Swift as her ext
was, she scarcely escaped the eye of
young man who swung himself off tn
train, sample ease in hand. His fac
twinkled humorously, which it coul
very well do, being a pleasant mus
tached face in spite of the marks of dis
sipation it bore. His trim dress an
brisk air bespoke the prosperous CON
mercial traveller. He went indoor
and swept business-like glance aroun
before the train steamed away; there
fore, by the time the station-master ha
put up the mail and served one or tw
customers, he had a satisfactory orde
written out, and professed himse
ready to noun the next train, fo
which he would have to wait quite tw
hours.
.'Oh, you know how to put the tim
in," said the station-master, las Ion
as we have any pretty girls left in tt
neighborhood."
The drummer smiled out of the BAG
door at a huddle Of two or three cabir
and board huts, as if the capacity
such 4 place for producing pretty cir
was too contemplate a joke for him
meddle with. He said he guessed l
would go down to the landing and 81
if he couldn't get a skiff awile.
betty jenkins will be down tn
way" suggested the station-maste
'.She was in here a minute ago"
.'Ran from me-" said the drumme
'.I'd kind of advise her to, if 81
hadn't" said the station-keeper.
What's the objection to me ?
laughed the drummer; I'm only
good gray sinner. They'll have to d
me several times more before I'm
black as you South Illinois Egyptians
.'Old lady Jenkins will have a ere
to pick with you, though, if she happe
to drop onto all these letters al
walks"
..You undertake too much" said t
drummer, shaking his head with gem
responsiveness. 1.-The store and pc
Office and station and the neighborho
will accumulate, and be too many /
you."
Beetrus saw him sauntering on b